Tunnel oven or kiln for firing pottery and other ware



Aug. 21, 1923.

C. F. BAILEY TUNNEL OVEN OR KILN FOR FIRING POTTERY AND OTHER WARE Filed July 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,572

C. F. BAILEY TUNNEL OVEN OR KILN FOR FIRING POTTERY AND OTHER WARE Filed July 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 restauran 21, 1923.

CHARLES FREDERICK BAILEY, OF LAWTON, ENGLAND.

TUNNEL OVEN 0R KILN FOR FIRING POTTERY AND OTHER Application filed July 12, 1922. Serial No. 574,521.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FREDERI K BAILEY, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Greenbank, Lawton, in the county of Chester, England, earthenware manufacturer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Applicable to Tunnel Ovens or Kilns for Firing Pottery and Other Ware, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in or applicable to tunnel ovens or kilns for firing pottery and other ware, the obJect being to provide a tunnel oven of less length than usual but capable of firing the pottery, tiles or other ware in a very expeditious and efiicient manner, said tunnel oven being constructed to direct the heat in an inward direction to the heat zone and at the same time to retard or prevent its escape from the tunnel. Further objects are means for protecting the wheels, bearings and other metal parts underneath the travelling carrier or vehicle from the intense heat whilst passing through the tunnel, and means for conveying the travelling carriers or vehicles from the inlet end of the tunnel to the exit end and for disconnecting them to facilitate easy removal of the fired ware.

My invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a sectional longitudinal elevation showing a portion of a tunnel oven constructed in accordance with my said invention,

Fig. 2 is a similar view drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section looking in the direction of the arrow Z, Fig. 2,

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional elevation and transverse section respectively illustratingmeans for connecting and conveying the carriers or vehicles and for cooling the metal parts below the vehicle which will be herein referred to, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing a carrier or vehicle being released at the exit end of the tunnel.

In these figures W is the inlet end, X the heat zone, and Y (Fig. 6) the outlet end of the tunnel.

In accordance with my said invention I construct the tunnel in two gradients a and b at the top and bottom of the tunnel and extending to the heat zone X, the top and base of the tunnel at that oint being horizontal. The said heat zone%( may be of any desired length in accordance with the time required for the wire to be subjected to the maximum temperature. Any number of gradients may be arranged from the inlet end W of the tunnel to the fiat heat zone X and then to the outlet end Y. On the drawing the first gradient a is one in three at which position the ware is cool, the next gradient is one in six where the ware becomes heated priorv to it entering the fiat heat zone X. These gradients a and b which are given as an example only may be varied as desired.

By constructing the tunnel in the manner described the heat always travels inward to the highest point of the tunnel which is the heat zone X and its escape therefrom towards the inlet end W or outlet end Y of the tunnel is considerably retarded or prevented by the gradients a and b.

c are the travelling carriers or vehicles to support the Were. The wheels 03 of each carrier move in a groove or path 6. All the carriers 0 carrying ware are connected together so as to move right through the tunnel. For this purpose arms 7 hinged at g to an endless chain h are employed the outer ends f of such arms f taking into pockets 7' on the underside of each carrier 0. The lower ends of the said levers f carry rollers or wheels k which travel in a groove or recess m arranged at the top of a pipe 'n (see Fig. 5), the latter being employed for the passage of air. A convenient way of connecting the arms f is on a bracket 0 (Fig. 4) the ends of which are connected to the chain it. the bracket also having the arms f pivotally connected thereto. All the arms 7 are connected to the endless chain It in a similar way and at a suitable distance apart, the travel of the chain causing all the carriers or vehicles to pass from the inlet end W of the tunnel, through the heat zone X and to the outlet end Y (Fig. 6).

The hinged arms 7 on the endless chain k are placed in the pockets j of the vehicle wrior to it passing through the inlet end of the tunnel, the arms f being held up in engagement with the pockets j of the carrier 0 by the wheel is in the groove or recess m. As the carriers or vehicles a pass through the outlet end Y (Fig. 6) of. the tunnel they move off the gradient a on to a horizontal path P,'this horizontal path causing the hinged arms 7 to leave the pockets 7' and fall together being then carried by the chain it through an air pipe 8, the arms 7 being again separated to engage the pockets 1' prior to the vehicle a enterm the tunnel at W. The horizontal path I'MSGS the wheels of the truck relatively to the chem h, so that the arms f are disengaged automatically from the carrier or truck. The arms f are placed -b hand into engagement with the pockets 7' o the carriers before they enter the heating tunnel.

In some cases the hinged armsf may have their ends turned inwards as shown in dotted lines at f (Fig. 4) to enable one arm to engage the fore pocket 7' of one vehicle a whilst the other arm engages the rear pocket j of the other vehicle a by which means all the vehicles 0 are connected to pass through the tunnel.

The endless chain it passes over wheels t arranged near the inlet and outlet ends of the tunnel, said wheels being provided with lugs t which take against the hinge pins or studs u on which the rollers or wheels k rotate.

The pipe n is arranged the whole length of the tunnel to allow a current of air to pass through to keep the chain and its attendant parts cool. If desired such air pipe n may have one or more branches or conduits to convey some of the air in close roximit to the heat zone so that it is heated t ereby, the heated air then being conveyed to meet the gas to produce combustion as will be understood. In some cases I may emplo an exhaust or other fan (not shown) to d i'aw or cause the air to pass through the pipe n. Similar air pipes grooved at the top to form a track may be employed for the vehicle wheels (1, or one air pipe of large capacity may be employed with a groove for the chain 72. with the rollers It to pass through and longitudinal grooves ortracks for the vehicle wheels d to move in, the cold air passing through the one pipe keeping all the metal parts underneath the vehicle 0001.

- In some cases I may construct the wheels d of the carrier 0 of fireclay or the like refractory material.

Asbestos or other suitable non-conducting material a ma be employed round the pipe at as shown at ig. 5. I

Instead of constructing the tunnel oven with gradients at and b and a flat heat zone X I may emplo a curved archway and also a track exten ing from the inlet end W and outlet end Y of the tunnel, the curves joining with the flat heat zone X which in this case is also higher than the inlet and outlet ends of the tunnel for the purpose hereinbefore specified.

'site directions and having en naeaeve My improved tunnel oven can be constructed of considerably less length than the usual tunnel oven therefore there is a great saving in the initial cost of construction and also in the cost of fuel.

The oven or kiln is operated as follows The vehicles a are connected to the chain It by the arms prior to enterin the tunnel, the vehicles t en travelling up t e radients a and b to the heat 'zone then own the gradients b and a to the outlet end Y (Fig. 6) of. the tunnel, the vehicle with the fired ware then travelling on the horizontal path P, the chain 72. carrying the arms f passing over the wheel t and through an air pipe 8 to the inlet end Wof the tunnel again where the arms f are connected to the other vehicle supplied with ware to be passed through the tunnel.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In anoven or kiln, a heating tunnel having inclined end portions and guide tracks, wheeled carriers guided by the said tracks,.an endless conveyer device arranged longitudinally of the tunnel, and arms hinged to the said conveyer device and disengageably connected with the said carriers and operating to move them along the tracks and discharge them at the outlet end of the tunnel.

2. In an oven or kiln, the combination, with the devices set forth in claim 1, of an air supply pipe arranged longitudinally of the tunnel and having a groove at its upper side for the upper stretc of the conveyer device to work in. I

3. In an oven or kiln, the combination, with the devices set'forth in claim 1, of a pipe arranged below the tunnel and forming a return conduit for the lower stretch of the conve er device and the said arms.

4. 11 an oven or kiln, the combination, with the devices set-forth in claim 1, of a horizontal path for the wheeled carriers at the outlet end of the tunnel, said path.

operating to raise the carriers relatively to the conveyer device thereby disengaging the said arms from it automatically.

5. An oven or kiln as set forth'in claim 1, the said wheeled carriers having pockets at their front and rear parts, and the said arms being arranged in pairs with the arms of each pair pro ecting upwardl in oppoportions which engage with the said pockets.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES FREDERICK BAILEY.

Witnesses:

J. Bmrron, J. H. Corasramn. 

